The Hollywoodbets Super League returned last weekend with just three fixtures being played as Mamelodi Sundowns extended their lead at the top of the standings, stretching their unbeaten run to 10 games, admirably with nine wins, only losing points to JVW FC in a 2-2 draw earlier this season.
This weekend finds all 14 clubs in action, UWC Ladies come off a 6-0 victory over Golden Ladies. Coach Thinasonke Mbuli’s charges make the trip from Cape Town to the East Coast of Mzansi to lock horns with the high-scoring and ambitious Durban Ladies in Saturday’s early kick-off.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s game between MA-Indies and Thunderbirds will be televised live from the Giyani Stadium. The rest of the action will be played in Saturday’s 3pm slot, so without further ado, let’s get stuck into our weekly preview!
Saturday 14 August
Durban Ladies 7/2
Draw 5/2
UWC Ladies 13/20
(13:00)
If you follow @DurbanLadiesFC on Facebook, you’d already know that founder Mary-Jane Sokhela’s team are a very exciting and young squad who claim that, “We’re not singing because we’re happy but we’re happy because we’re singing. We sing through everything, it’s our therapy.”
The KZN-based outfit have had many reasons to celebrate joyously after enjoying a rich vein of form that catapulted themselves up the standings with four consecutive victories, while scoring 19 times in the same period.
The hosts will need to be on song when UWC Ladies make the trip to Chatsworth Stadium in search of maximum points during Saturday’s early kick-off, in what’s expected to be a partly cloudy day with persistent passing showers.
UWC Ladies goalkeeper Regirl Ngobeni was side-lined through injury in the midweek clash with Golden Ladies as coach Thinasonke Mbuli’s side ran out 6-0 winners.
This match will be the visitors third competitive clash within eight days, while Durban Ladies are well prepared and rested, leaving me to predict these sides sharing the spoils in a cagey and hard-fought contest, despite goals being expected.
Mamelodi Sundowns 1/12
Draw 7/1
Richmond United 14/1
(15:00)
Richmond United desperately need to rectify their current situation which finds them precariously hovering just five points away from bottom after an underwhelming spell of results which has yielded just five points from their last eight games.
The ladies from the Northern Cape will make an 800-km trip to the Groenkloof Stadium in Pretoria to lock horns with reigning-champions Masandawana, who’ve been in imperious form, banging in eight goals against Tsunami Queens in Harrismith last Saturday, and claiming maximum points over UJ Ladies three days later.
Karabo Makhurubetshi wore the captain’s armband for the first time with Sundowns made to sweat for the points in a very cagey match against a very defensively astute outfit in UJ Ladies.
Unfortunately, for the visitors I expect the Brazilians to run rampant once again, if you’re selecting a bet, it’s safe to place your entire betting budget on a Sundowns victory.
Golden Ladies 11/2
Draw 26/10
TUT Ladies 9/20
(15:00)
Golden Ladies are languishing in the bottom half of the table largely due to their poor form on home soil, at the North West University in Mafikeng, where they’ve won just once in six games.
However, coach Fani Motaung’s troops would’ve have enough time to iron out their kinks in defence during the break in football to properly protect goalkeeper Rachel Polori from an onslaught on her goal.
Captain Rebaone Merementsi will have the responsibility of keeping the team spirit positive as Golden Ladies return home smarting from a thrashing at the hands of UWC Ladies in Cape Town. Meanwhile, TUT Ladies are seeking to maintain the pressure on log-leaders Sundowns.
Tiisetso Makhubela, Busisiwe Ndimeni and Tshwarelo Mpuru have all registered more than four goals each for coach Anna Monate’s team proving they’re not over reliant on Makhubela. Take TUT Ladies to overcome the strong-spirited hosts.
First Touch FC 4/10
Draw 28/10
UJ Ladies 13/2
(15:00)
First Touch FC were inconsistent before Covid-19 brought proceedings in the Hollywoodbets Super League to a halt, beating much stronger opposition in JVW FC (2-1) and Bloemfontein Celtic (2-0), but shared the spoils with Thunderbirds Ladies (1-1) and were held to a goalless draw with Coal City Wizards last time out in a match that was broadcasted live to Mzansi.
UJ Ladies have secured a new kit sponsor, proudly displaying players’ surnames on the back of their shirts for the first time, and as the old saying goes, “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. If you play good, they pay good.”
Coach Kgabo Ditsebe’s ‘Orange Army’ come off a 2-0 defeat to champions Sundowns in midweek action and will be hoping attacking midfielder Jessica Wade can play herself into form, in order for the former Varsity side to climb up the standings from their current position, third from bottom.
My value bet for the weekend comes in this encounter, take UJ Ladies to win at 13/2 odds.
Bloemfontein Celtic 9/20
Draw 26/10
Coal City Wizards 11/2
(15:00)
Bloemfontein Celtic would’ve been deflated after making the trip to KZN and finding themselves on the receiving end of a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Durban Ladies at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi. However, Siwelele have had six weeks since then to take a closer look at their approach and improve on it.
Celtic won three of their previous four games before being humbled in Durban, so it’s not exactly a train smash in the bigger scheme of things, but the manner in which they were beaten would’ve surely left a bitter taste in their mouth as Phunya Sele Sele aim to return to winning ways at Siwelele Park.
Coal City Wizards on the other hand remain winless in six games, scoring just once in the same run of disappointing results, during the 1-1 stalemate with JVW FC last Saturday.
Rain is forecasted in Bloemfontein this weekend which could make playing conditions difficult, and with the Mpumalanga-based team putting in a gritty performance against JVW, sways me towards betting on a draw at 26/10 odds.
JVW FC 4/10
Draw 28/10
Tsunami Queens 13/2
(15:00)
Tsunami Queens will make the trip to the Tsakane Stadium to lock horns with JVW FC on Saturday, before the hosts travel to back-to-back matches on the road, away at UJ Ladies and Richmond United.
The ‘Blue Diamonds’ will be without their gem, 19-year-old defender, Sarah Walker, who sustained two breaks on her shoulder bone after a hard fall, following a tackle in the 1-1 draw with Coal City Wizards last weekend and underwent surgery which has put a delay to her trip to the USA.
We wish her a speedy recovery, so she can continue flying the South African flag proudly as well as being a role model to young footballers across Gauteng and the nation.
The attacking trio of Nompumelelo Nyandeni, Gabriela Salgado and Robyn Moodaly will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing the league’s leakiest defence in their own backyard, whilst being boosted by the return of seasoned-campaigner Mamello Makhabane.
Tsunami Queens come into the clash winless in four games, losing to UWC (3-0), TUT (8-0), Thunderbirds (4-0) and Sundowns (8-0).
I can’t see anything but a convincing JVW win, my banker of the weekend.
Sunday 15 August
Ma Indies Ladies 14/10
Draw 2/1
Thunderbirds Ladies 18/10
(15:00)
Seventh and eighth-placed Ma Indies and Thunderbirds close out the round of action in Sunday’s only Hollywoodbets Super League match, which will be broadcasted live.
Ma Indies will be hoping to claim maximum points at the Giyani Stadium and break into the top half of the standings before finishing off the month with clashes against Sundowns and JVW FC.
Thunderbirds Ladies would’ve been rueing the break in football the most, as coach Thembalethu Alpeni’s team kept growing from strength to strength winning three straight games.
As always, Philisa Mjambane is the driving force behind the ‘Birds who boast one of the league’s tightest defences. My money is on Thunderbirds taking flight in Limpopo in an evenly matched contest, that could possibly be won with a solitary goal.
QUAD @ 5/1
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies 1/12
TUT Ladies 9/20
JVW FC 4/10
Thunderbirds Ladies 18/10
Written by Bryan Naicker